$$$ & Reality - Swaps Into Ke70S?

[slowlearner]

Hi all, lurker, now poster...

 

Looks like I'll be getting my grandmother's auto ke70 that I've been lusting after for a while complete with oily 4k. I'll just be driving it for a while but I am thinking of doing some sort of conversion down the track when time and $$$ allow. Done a fair bit of reading here and I'm curious about real $$$$ when it comes to conversions. Not just the motor, but also driveline, brakes, engineer's plate (the bits they don't tell you about). Not, "I've got 15 corollas in my shed so it cost me $5", but real money. Coz I I'm a tightwad and really want to know. So here's my question...

 

How much does it really cost to do;

Beams swap (dream)

4AGE swap

3tc swap

 

Any help here would be great. I've done a few motor swaps in the past and I'm not afraid of looms and grease, but I want to go in with my eyes open.

 

I assume the auto floorpan allows bigger manual boxes, right?

 

Also; why doesn't anyone use the 3SGE out of camrys and celicas? They seem very cheap and plentiful to me.

Edited August 19, 2012 by slowlearner

[altezzaclub]

Floorpan is the same as far as I know-

 

Cost- $10grand ! Don't expect anything less and if you can do it with change then you get a pleasant surprise. Most guys don't write everything down as they do it, and many conversions are pretty ratshit around the edges. You can assume any 30year old motor will need a sizeable rebuild...

 

FWD 3SGEs need turning around, like a 4AGE. The Altezza one drops straight in.. I was thinking tonight about 'what if someone rear-ended my Altezza' and if I could get the wreck off the insurance company.... Celicas/MR2s are also earlier generations of the motor and don't make the same power.

 

I could give you pretty exact figures, but for about $3grand you could rebore the 4K to 1500cc and fit twin SUs, a cam and an exhaust system. That might keep you going for a few years while you raise the dough for the engine swap.

 

here's what we did-

http://www.rollaclub.com/board/topic/42407-the-girls-ke70/

[slowlearner]

Thanks. See that's what I expected. I can handle a rebuild and some spicy internals. Don't really want to stand back and throw cash at a car again. I mean I like it, but the person I sleep next to seems to have a different feeling about it. lol. Women are funny that way... :/

[altezzaclub]

lol- Do it cheap and slow. So long as you're not buying chrome plated surge tanks and some of the other bling you can buy then it shouldn't be too bad. That's why I figured you might need a year or two accumulating all the bits for a full conversion.

 

When you've dropped the new motor in you can always sell the hot 4K & buy her flowers!

[the witzl]

full tightarse 4age 16v conversion will cost you around $2500.... thats waiting for parts to come up at the right price 2nd hand, and not bothering to rebuild that 4age you bought for around $800 with ecu and loom. Thats keeping stock diff and brakes, and doing EVERYTHING yourself, and only blue-slipping the engine number to the car.

[ke70dave]

i spent 2 yrs scouring forums collecting 4age 16v conversion parts, picking them up as cheap as possible.

 

still cost me $3000 (that was with a professional ~$550 exhaust)

 

that was just the engine, gearbox, pedal box, wiring, fuel system.

 

no brakes or suspension.

 

buy a car already converted!!! do_eet!!!

Edited August 20, 2012 by ke70dave

[rian]

I'd say I've spent at least $3000 doing my 4AGE conversion but I haven't been keeping track of the cost of every little part that I buy, and I haven't yet finished. You would struggle to do the entire conversion for less me thinks.

Edited August 20, 2012 by rian

[kickn5k]

I know it's not a ke-70 but.

I did my dads FJ20 turbo datto 1600 conversion including Vicroads engineers for $6,200!!!

This included good bits like custom alloy rad, custom intercooler and a clutch good for more power than he wants. I saved a lit of money doing everything except wiring(mate did it really cheap). I know it's not a rolla, but it proves they can be done properly on a budget.

 

I'd go anything boosted!!! You seriously can't beat it.

 

 

[Willis]

I've spent anywhere from $6500 to $7500 on my 20v conversion and that's with NO labour.

Honestly though, if I were to do it again, I'd be starting with an AE71. Either that or just a different motor. BEAMS, SR20 etc.

4AGE's are considered an easy conversion but for the messing about I went through with the W55 box, I may aswell have chosen a different engine.

[ke70dave]

haha yeah.

 

4age is great if you get stuff cheap.

 

but with current prices, and the age of parts (that you need to reco anyway), its getting just as economical to put in an sr20det. (minus the differential upgrade i guess)

[Willis]

haha yeah.

 

4age is great if you get stuff cheap.

 

but with current prices, and the age of parts (that you need to reco anyway), its getting just as economical to put in an sr20det. (minus the differential upgrade i guess)

 

Not quite as economical (SR's are going to need recos etc too) but when you start working the 4AG, headwork, cams, boost if you want to go that way, you were probably better off just going SR20 and having the potential for more there. $5k on headwork, $500-1000 for cams, then you can throw ITB's at it, ECU's and tuning, valvetrain etc. It starts getting expensive for what is in the scheme of things, not much power..

 

The 4AG isn't THAT big of a job to throw in a KE70, I just think if I'm going to do a conversion again, I'm going to make it worth my while.

[19914afc]

Faaarrrr out 4age conversions are expensive!

 

I've probably spent under 10k including the purchase cost of my T18 with 1uz conversion.

That's the price I ended up paying for the shell minus selling some stuff like the old t series and pedal box and buying the following

1UZFE - FREE! bought a whole celsior for 1k and parted out got money back

gearbox adaper setup - $1100 everything except for box it's self

2X R155 hilux boxes tailshaft and shifter $1100

 

Rear end

Coilovers - $500

hilux diff cost $400 and I did all the mounts myself

Rear supra brakes cost $300 all up huge things!

$100 for new axle bearings

and just locked diff for now.

 

Front -

coilovers $600

T3 wilwwod setup - ended up costing $300 because someone wanted JDM 86 brake baaaddd.

hubs and new bearings - $100

rose jointed lcas - $80

kelway steering arms - $200 odd

castor arms - $150

 

Floor mounted pedal box - $330 delivered

driver sparco and pass bride seats with proper rails $500

 

Fuel cell - $200

surge tank and 2 pumps - $200

fuel and brake lines where about $100 too.

sheel ended up costing $500 after selling a buch of crap off it.

 

Thats the majority of it but there would be probably another $1000 in other junk so there's about 8k (around 9 including cams cage which will be done later) for the whole car done but all done myself.

 

It's close to being done well has to be done for matsuri, haha.

Edited August 20, 2012 by 19914afc

[Willis]

 

 

It's close to being done well has to be done for matsuri, haha.

 

YES! Can't wait to see it there! I'll be looking out for any and all T18's. My car should be running and finished sometime next week!! And I'll be hitting the last QR day before Matsuri to try and get a feel for the car. Can't be driving my car for the first time AT Matsuri haha

[19914afc]

Yeah I know I would like to get it ready to get one track day in before matsuri as it will be like driving a whole new car with steering rack and completely different braking system with no booster.

 

Also I just bought another T18 which may be there as well.

Edited August 21, 2012 by 19914afc

[slowlearner]

so what you're all saying is a beams might cost the same as a 4AGE depending on a whole stack of variables.

 

BTW, what brakes, gearbox and diff would I need to cope with a beams?

 

Yes, It needs to be regoed.